There
by InfinitePossiblities
Summary: I don't know how, but he knew what I needed, for him just to be there. Oneshot Neji x Tenten, Deals with death.


Neji Tenten

I gazed over the wide open lake, tears blurring my vision and running down my cheeks like the gray rain that fell from the sky. Why, why did my parents have to die and leave me here alone? Why did they take that mission, why didn't the Hokage stop them or send more members? Why did they go, they knew it was as good as suicide? Why didn't they give me the chance to say goodbye. Why, why, why.

Could they have possibly conceived how much the silence that seems to penetrate every corner of our house penetrates every corner of my heart? Could they have ever felt like this, hopeless, left, wondering if you could have changed things, envisioning all the things you would have done different if you knew they would be gone. Could they imagine how every pity filled glance seemed to cut you like a knife. In their whole life had they ever evened imagined what they were leaving behind if they died?

As I continued to cry, infinite sadness controlling my body, the rain continued to fall. It seemed to me like nature was mourning with me. I looked blindly at the lake, the reflection of the trees surrounding me stretching and shrinking with every drop of rain on the surface, the ripples spreading toward the edge. Slowly, the rain seeped through my jacket, soaking me, I knew in the back of my mind I should go find somewhere warm, but I was beyond caring.

I was still replaying the moment I learned that my parents weren't coming back. I was sitting on our couch, the comfy tan one my father had always told me stories in when I was little, when Naruto came to tell me the news.

"Naruto," I cried, "Do you have news of my parents?"

"Yes, but unfortunately it isn't good," Our Hokage said softly, trying to soften the blow.

"They were injured," I said, worried, pushing the other option to the back of my head, if you didn't think about it, it wouldn't happen, I told myself.

"Tenten, I'm sorry, they aren't coming back," Naruto told me, a look of pity filling his face.

But I was too numb to even notice his expression. I couldn't feel anything. I just stood there, shock filling my being. I had just seen them, standing at the gate, laughing to each other, eager for the mission. They can't be gone, not my parents, not the people I had laughed with, played with, trained with, not the 2 people who knew me more then I knew myself. It just wasn't possible. I was too numb to cry.

Now, sitting by this lake, I realize I was lucky my last memory of them was happy, laughing, not laying on the ground, battle wounds littering their body.

Naruto helped me that night, he forced me to eat, and then lay me in my bed, but even the Hokage couldn't make me sleep. All night I lay motionless on my bed, unshed tearing building up behind my eyes, pretending to sleep, Naruto keeping up his watch in the corner of my room, lost in thought. The next day I was sure I couldn't take it again. Naruto, face kind, forcing me to eat and then feeling obligated to keep me company. So I ran, I ran through the Leaf Village, I ran from the looks of pity that followed me, the sympathetic glances, the finger pointed as the gossip continued to spread like a poison.

When I reached the forest, the tears began, it was a relief to not have to hold them back, to allow them to flow free, here where I was sure that no one was watching, that no one would see my weakness. I ran and ran, not caring where I went, so long as it was away.

Finally, from exhaustion, I took my seat here by this lake, letting the solitude seep into me as water seeps into a sponge. Violent sops tore my body as I thought of the memories, of birthday parties and bedtime stories, of lazy Sundays and comfortable silences and realized that I would never again enjoy a quiet morning with my mom or debate the advantage of shuriken over kunai with my dad.

I was so involved in my reminiscing; I almost missed the quiet footsteps approaching my hiding spot. I stared determinedly at the lake, hoping that if I ignored the person they would leave but I wasn't able to stop my tears, they fell unchecked over my red cheeks. I was surprised to feel heat next to my body as a blanket was placed over me and the person settled next to me in a sitting position, not saying anything.

I glanced through my lashes to find out their identity, I was surprised to see my teammate Neji, staring out over the lake like I was, and sitting on the wet ground, heavy coat shielding his body from the sheeting rain. I tried desperately to pull myself together, stop the tears that seemed to flow endlessly down my face, not wanting Neji to see me like this, just my luck to have the person I wanted to impress the most find me like this.

Neji glanced at me, and I was surprised and relived to see that it wasn't pity that filled his white eyes, but understanding. I turned away, sure the comments would begin, something like "emotions are weakness". That seemed more like Neji then a comforting "They are with you always," but, in this case, that would be worse, I didn't want Neji's pity. Silence filled the small clearing, filled only with the rhythmic pattering of rain drops hitting the lake. I fell back into my despair, images of my parents flashing through my mind, all the times I was mean, all the times I failed to appreciate their help, all the times we disagreed, but also all the times everything felt right, the nights spent star gazing, or 4-year old me being read to by my father, sitting on his knee, the days my mom and I had spent goofing off. Slowly, carefully, without really realizing what I was doing, I leaned against Neji's shoulder, for a moment he stiffened at the contact, and then relaxed when he looked down at my crumpled, soaked form.

The sadness now filled my whole being, head to toes. I gave in, soaking both Neji and myself with tears, but, unlike before, when each tear brought more sadness, the tears seemed to help, that each one carried it own little bit of sadness away from my body. Neji never said a word, only moving occasionally to readjust the blanket that covered us or hold me tighter through a bad fit of tears. He never complained about me soaking his jacket or the blanket, most of the time he just held me, which was exactly what I need the most.

Even through my sadness, I was surprised on how Neji seemed to know what I needed most. He seemed to understand that nothing anyone could say could make anything better right now and trying would make it worse. I knew for the rest of my life, I would never forget this night of sadness, and of closeness.

Slowly, the rain and my tears began to lessen up. I could feel the dark peacefulness of sleep begin to creep up on my conscious, ready to envelop my limp form in its soft embrace. I resisted, wanting to stay awake, to thank Neji for what he had done. To ask him how he knew exactly what I needed, but it was fruitless, and I fell into the blackness, letting it take me into a quiet slumber.

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Neji looked down at his teammates still form, relived to see she had finally drifted to sleep. As gently was he could manage, he lifted up her still form and began the long trek back to the Leaf Village.

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**Yes, I know that Tenten's parents didn't die in the anime, but I felt like writing a sad story, and this came out. Hope you liked it.**


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